Quick Q&A with Connor Norby

Connor Norby hasn’t studied the Marlins’ 2025 schedule, though he’s confident that his mother could recite it because she’s already planning her trips. He expects to be in Baltimore next summer, since the Orioles played in Miami this year. The home fields alternate.

He’s right. The Orioles host the Marlins in a three-game series July 11-13 that leads directly into the All-Star break. Norby has a chance to make his return to Camden Yards after being traded with outfielder Kyle Stowers for left-hander Trevor Rogers at the deadline.

Norby, a second-round draft pick in 2021 out of East Carolina, didn’t see it coming. He had to process it. And he had to endure another stop in the minors, with the Marlins optioning him to Triple-A Jacksonville so he could learn to play third base.

After going 6-for-32 in nine games with the Orioles, Norby resumed his rookie season by hitting .313/.377/.625 with six doubles and three home runs in 12 August games with the Marlins. He set a club record with six extra-base hits in his first six games.

I had a nice phone conversation with Norby over the weekend before he headed off to attend a friend’s wedding. He was gone July 30 before media had a chance to get his reaction to the trade.

Here it is, and more.

Where are you now and what’s your offseason going to look like?

"I’m back home in Greensboro. I’ve got a bunch of weddings coming up this offseason. Everybody decided to get married. Got back in the gym a couple weeks ago. I don’t like taking too much time off, just because the longer you’re off, the more time it takes to build back up. But just hanging out at home a little bit. I’m in Raleigh for half the week, too. I want to see (girlfriend) Sydney. Other than that, we’re not doing too much.”

What was your reaction to the trade? Were you hearing any rumors, were you braced for one, or did it just completely blindside you?

“It was funny because I was up, I was in Baltimore, and we had that 10-day road trip coming up. We were going to Cleveland and I have a buddy (Gavin Williams) who plays for them. I was texting him like, ‘I’ll see you in a couple days.’ Sydney was with me and we were packing up, just getting ready because we were at the apartment, and I got a text from a former ECU guy (Jacob Jenkins-Cowart) who had just gotten drafted by Miami like two weeks prior. He texted me and was like, ‘Hey, just letting you know, I was getting chased down at practice today being asked about you.’ I literally didn’t think anything of it because it’s deadline day, I feel like everybody asks about everybody. And given the position that we were in at the time – (Jorge) Mateo was hurt, I think Jackson (Holliday) was still coming back from his (sore) arm and he was still trying to get built back up – and I was playing that night.

“I really thought I was, I don’t want to say ‘safe,’ but pretty much in my head I thought I was. I texted my agent, like, ‘Have you heard anything,’ and he said, ‘No.’ Kind of like, ‘Suspiciously quiet.’ That’s what he said. And not even five minutes later I’m getting a call. It definitely caught me off guard.”

Did you see a chance to play more regularly with Miami?

“For sure. But I tell my parents and agent all the time, I love Baltimore. I would have stayed with them forever had I been given that opportunity. And I had been playing more, but I wasn’t playing great, and I understood that. I was working on some stuff. It wasn’t going our way. We weren’t winning games as consistently, stuff like that. We were all trying to figure it out and trying to get back on the winning page. I just wanted to contribute and help the team win and put myself in position to be like, ‘Yeah, he can be our guy.’ I was just putting a little too much pressure on myself. But when the trade happened, at the end of the day, yeah, it was a better opportunity in a way.”

You must not have felt much pressure after the trade. You had a great August. Was it about getting that opportunity and being relaxed? How do you explain it?

“I was kind of pissed because obviously I got traded and I got optioned. I think that was like another caught off guard moment. And then learning a new position on top of that. And I’m one of those people, you tell me or you show me something I don’t agree with, it’s like, I’m going to show you. I’m that type of person. I want you to doubt me. I think that’s when I thrive. I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder and I think that kind of took over. But when I got to Miami and I met Skip (Schumaker) and the guys there … Obviously I had Stowey with me, which was a blessing because going alone would have been even harder. I had him there, so that helped a ton.

“Miami had a great locker room. We’re super young. I joked because I was on a young team, it felt like. A young core. And I didn’t think I could get any younger, but lo and behold, I got on a younger team. But they embraced me. Skip was awesome. He’s just like, ‘I’m rolling you out there and you’re going to play every day for me. And just be you.’”

What was it like learning third base after the trade and is that where you think you’ll mostly be playing?

“I do think going forward that, from everything I’ve been told, they want me at third. I was down for about 2 ½ weeks and I was counting down the days in my head, which was probably a bad idea. I was eager to just get up there. And at least be somewhat comfortable by the time I got up there. I don’t know if I ever got comfortable at third. I was working every day trying to get better at it. I’m still working. I’ve never played it and it’s an incredibly hard position to learn. But I got more used to it by the end.”

Jordan Westburg was hit by a pitch the day after your trade and broke his hand. Did you hear about that and think to yourself, “Well, that’s some bad timing,” because it could have given you second base?

“Yeah, for sure. Obviously, those are all my boys over there. I want to win and like I said, I love Baltimore. And the fans were unbelievable. The coaching staff and the players. It’s a top-notch organization and I wanted to play there and I wanted to win there. The next day Westy breaks his hand and I’m like, ‘Mateo’s hurt and now Westy’s hurt.’ Literally 24 hours ago I think this whole thing would have been different. But God’s timing is unmatched.”

Are the Orioles and Marlins similar in their instruction and philosophies and use of data?

“I can’t really answer that because I haven’t been in the organization too long, and when I got up there, you’ve got six weeks left, we’re trying to finish strong and we have all these games coming up against playoff teams and teams that are on the bubble. Our mentality was, let’s make it harder on them and let’s steal some games, and we did that. But I don’t really know yet what the philosophy is on everything. I’m still learning. They kind of cleaned house, so I’m waiting to see who all they hire. They’ve been talking to me about some candidates, so I think it’s cool that they’re asking for my input and they value me. As a player that’s all you want. You want to be valued.”

I can’t let you go without getting your take on the Vikings. How are you feeling about them?

“You know better than anyone. You’re a Minnesota fan, too. There’s always a downfall in the season. Two years ago we collapsed in the playoffs, and I also thought that whole year was unsustainable with how we were winning. It doesn’t set you up for success when you need it the most, which is in the playoffs. But this year, going into the season everyone was like, ‘Sam Darnold at quarterback, blah, blah blah. We got rid of Danielle (Hunter). We’ve got an old Aaron Jones. Blah, blah blah.’ And I’m just like, ‘I’m telling you, I think they’re going to be better than people think.’ They revamped that defense. Sam Darnold is fully capable of getting the ball to Justin Jefferson and now he’s got T.J. Hockenson back, which only makes them more dangerous on offense. And (Kevin) O’Connell is unbelievable.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what they do before Tuesday (trade deadline). I don’t want them to go too crazy and throw a first-round pick away or something like that. They’re at the part of the schedule where these are games they should win. I’m excited for what they’ve done.”